5 Things to Know About the Cincinnati Nightclub Shooting

Cameo nightclub in Cincinnati a day after a deadly shooting. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Early Sunday, shots rang out Cincinnati’s Cameo nightclub, killing one person and injuring as many as 16 people, according to police, but authorities are still piecing together what happened to spur the violence and continue to look for suspects.

The shooting took place at 1:30 a.m. as about 200 partiers danced into the late night at the popular hip-hop club when an argument began between a group of men, which soon gave way to gunfire, prompting clubgoers to scramble to safety. As officials look for more clues, here is what is known so far:

The shooting was the result of an argument that grew from earlier in the day. According to a statement from Cincinnati city manager Harry Black, there was animosity between “between two specific groups or individuals earlier in the day, escalating and ultimately leading to this tragedy.” At some point the groups ran into each other at the club and a dispute started between them leading to the shooting, according to Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac.

The club has a security system that should have kept the guns out. Cameo security uses metal detection wands and pat-downs to check for firearms, according to Isaac. But the weapons somehow found their way inside despite measures taken to ensure against it. In addition four off-duty police officers were working security in the club’s parking lot.

The club has also seen violent incidents before. A shooting took place inside the club on New Year’s Day 2015 and that September another one took place in the parking lot. “Saturday night, it is a very young crowd. We have had incidents here in the past, but this is by far the worst,” Police Capt. Kim Williams told reporters. No suspects are in custody yet. Isaac said the investigation into the incident is continuing, but no arrests have been made.

Police identified the person killed as O’Bryan Raphael Spikes, 27. Officials have informed his family, but no other information has been released about the victim.

Two people remain in critical condition at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Seven others were treated there for their injuries. Four of them were released, three others are in stable condition a hospital spokesperson told Cincinnati.com. Several others were treated and released at area hospitals. Another individual told police he had been shot, as well but his condition is unclear.

During the fracas, clubgoers described a scene of panic and chaos. Mauricio Thompson said the fight started in one place, but exploded into a melee all over the nightspot and eventually gunfire. “Within that mini brawl, maybe like 20 shots been fired — people running, dodging, trying to get out of the way,” Thompson told WCPO-TV. “Once I got outside, people coming out bloody, gunshot wounds on them, some of their friends carrying them to the car, rushing them to the hospital. It was just crazy.”